Schoolmaster Snapper are easy fish to catch, making them a fun fishing adventure for the entire family. Let’s dive into how to catch Schoolmaster Snapper.
How To Catch Schoolmaster Snapper
Schoolmaster Snapper are caught fishing in 3′ to 50′ of water on shallow water structures, including docks, rock piles, and natural and artificial reefs. Schoolmasters are most frequently caught bottom fishing using light fishing tackle with fresh squid or shrimp.
Anglers target schoolmaster Snapper throughout Florida and Bahamian waters year-round. Schoolmaster Snapper are predominantly reef-dwelling fish, so they are known to congregate heaviest on shallow-water reefs. Because of this, the most effective method to catch Schoolmaster Snapper is bottom fishing.
When bottom fishing for Schoolmasters, there are many fishing rigs that are used, with the Fishfinder and Knocker rig being the most popular rigs to target them. Personally, I prefer using the Fishfinder rig. The Fishfinder rig is different from the knocker rig in that the sinker is located on the mainline just above the leader, where it is held in place using a swivel, whereas the sinker in the knocker rig slides all the way down to the hook.
When it comes to catching small reef fish, they can quickly become hesitant to strike baits that are unnatural in presentation. For this reason, the Fishfinder rig is great in that your sinker is held a couple of feet away from the hook allowing your bait to float naturally on its own.
Expert Tips On Catching Schoolmaster Snapper
- Find some candy-sized shrimp: When it comes to fishing for Schoolmaster Snapper no bait is as successful as fishing a candy-sized shrimp. When you are getting bait at your local tackle shop, ask if they can select mainly 3″ to 4″ sized shrimp. Schoolmaster Snapper go absolutely nuts over them at this size.
- Chum up the water: As with many breeds of snapper, chumming up the water before fishing is a great way to increase the day’s overall productivity. For best results, hang multiple chum bags off the side of the boat or area you are fishing, and you will quickly see the Schoolmaster bite turn on.
- Locate Elkhorn Coral: If you can fish a reef with Elkhorn coral, you can be confident that you are fishing Schoolmaster country. A couple of years back, I was snorkeling in the Bahamas around a giant patch of Elkhorn coral, and the only fish on-site was Schoolmaster Snapper. After noting it, I figured I would try targeting Schoolmasters on the next site with Elkhorn coral, and sure enough, within seconds of chumming the water, 100’s of Schoolmasters rose to the surface to devour our chum.
- Monitor salinity levels: When it comes to catching Schoolmaster Snapper, the higher the salinity levels, the better. Though Schoolmaster Snapper can be caught in various salinity levels, they are most abundant in areas of high salinity.
- Get on the reef: Some reef fish are best fished on the outskirts of the reefs, but Schoolmaster Snapper is not one of them. When possible, anchor up current of the reef and allow the water to pull the boat directly on top of the reef. As long as the boat is floating above the reef, you will be in Schoolmaster territory.
Best Baits For Catching Schoolmaster Snapper
- Squid
- Shrimp
- Baitfish (various species)
- Ballyhoo (chunked)
When Can You Catch Schoolmaster Snapper?
Schoolmaster Snapper can be caught year-round but are most abundant and easiest to catch in summer and spring. Though Schoolmaster Snapper will feed throughout the day, they are most active feeding during dawn and dusk.
Where To Catch Schoolmaster Snapper
Schoolmaster Snapper are caught in tropical and subtropical waters in 3” to 50” of water, with 15” of water being the sweet spot to target them. Schoolmasters congregate on various structures but are known to congregate heaviest on natural reefs, especially reefs with elkhorn and gorgonian coral.
Best Fishing Spots for Schoolmaster Snapper
- Natural reefs
- Artificial Reefs
- Docks
- Piers
- Jetties
Best Fishing Tackle For Catching Schoolmaster Snapper
Best Fishing Rod For Schoolmaster Snapper
The best rod for fishing for Schoolmaster Snapper is going to be a 6’66’6 medium-light spinning rod. I personally love fishing my St.Croix Premier Split Grip Spinning Rod in medium-light power. This rod is the perfect size to catch small reef fish.
Best Fishing Reel For Schoolmaster Snapper
The best fishing reel for Schoolmaster snapper is going to be a 2000-3000 sized reel. When I am fishing for Schoolmasters, I prefer to use my 3000 sized Procyon AL by Diawa. These reels are incredibly smooth and sport an insane amount of drag for the size of the reel. Procyon 3000 sized reel has 22lbs of drag which is more drag than you will ever need on a light bottom fishing setup.
Best Line To Use For Schoolmaster Snapper
The best line when targeting Schoolmaster Snapper is a 20lb braid. Braided line is always my go-to when I am bottom fishing for reef fish. Braided line is extremely sensitive, allowing me to sense every bite, which can be very important when fishing for small reef fish. I have always had the best success fishing Power-Pro’sPower-Pro’s Super-Slick V2 in a 20lb test.
What size Leader To Use For Schoolmaster Snapper?
The best leader size for targeting Schoolmaster Snapper is a 15lb fluorocarbon leader. Fluorocarbon leader is abrasion-resistant, giving your line the added protection it will need when fishing near sharp structures. Though there are many fluorocarbon brands, I have always been happy with Seaguar’sSeaguar’s Blue-Label fluorocarbon.
What Size Hooks For Schoolmaster snapper?
The best size hook for catching Schoolmaster Snapper is a 1/0 circle hook. Schoolmasters Snapper are rarely caught exceeding 12″ in length, so a small hook is ideal for maximizing hookups.
Let’s take a deeper look at how to catch Schoolmaster Snapper by learning more about the species as a whole.
What are Schoolmaster Snapper
Lutjanus Apodus, commonly referred to by anglers as Schoolmaster Snapper, is a marine fish found in tropical and subtropical waters. Schoolmaster Snapper shares many physical characteristics with other Snapper species, including an oval-shaped body, pointed snout, and sharp canine teeth throughout their mouths.
Natural Schoolmaster Snapper Diet
- Amphipods
- Crabs
- Stomatopods
Are Schoolmaster Snapper Good To Eat?
Schoolmaster Snapper are excellent fish to eat. The flesh of the Schoolmaster is white and flaky with a sweet buttery flavor profile.
Are Schoolmaster Snapper In The Snapper Family?
Schoolmaster Snapper are in the Snapper Family. Schoolmasters, like other Snapper species, are in the Lutjanidae family.
Do Schoolmaster Snapper Have Scales?
Schoolmaster Snapper do have scales that start from the base of their tail and end at their gill plate.
Do Schoolmaster Snapper Have Teeth?
Schoolmaster Snapper has a mixture of both canine and vomerine teeth that line their top and bottom jaws. It is best to exercise caution when handling them.
Schoolmaster Snapper Size And Bag Limit
| State | Minimum Size | Bag Limit |
| Florida | 10” | 10 |
| Georgia | 10“ | 10 |
| South Carolina | 10” | 10 |